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Mr Borrell suggested that if not all EU27 could agree at least 9 member states would have to agree to "enhanced cooperation."

He also warned that failing to reach a new policy agreement on migration could do "more damage" to the integrity of the European project than even the euro crisis of 2008 had.

He continued: "If the 27 member states cannot, we would at the very least need enhanced cooperation between nine member states.

"Migration divides Europe and it has the potential to do more damage to the European Union than the euro. The euro crisis was, in fact, a crisis of institutional finance."

EU news: Mr Borrell acknowledged the EU does not "have the means" to resolve the migration crisis (Image: GETTY•EURONEWS)

It is true that we do not have the means to solve the migration problem

Josep Borrell

Mr Borrell added: "Migration is much more serious as it affects identity, culture, living together. You don’t fix that with a few extra billion euros."

Brussels has been facing mounting pressure from member states to modify its current migration policy to meet the needs of countries like Italy at the forefront of welcoming efforts.

Threats from Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini to withdraw funds unless Brussels enforced redistribution plans between all member states forced the EU to call a meeting for September 14 to tackle the issue.

Hungarian prime minister Victor Orban, himself a keen opponent of current EU migratory policies, offered high praise to the Italian ahead of a key meeting last month.

The Hungarian played down any differences between the pair, saying “Me and Salvini, we seem to share the same destiny. He is my hero.”

Mr Orban’s Hungary was one of the EU countries who refused to accept asylum seekers from Italy but pledged to create a pan-European anti-migrant alliance ahead of next year’s European elections.